1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sprinkler systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to those sprinkler systems which can provide fertilizer enriched water to vegetation. The present invention is a passive system which can be attached to an existing sprinkler system to add predetermined quantities of fertilizer to the system water supply.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art does not include a water addition system that can be controlled to add specific amounts of material to water prior to dispersal, as described and claimed herein. U.S. Pat. No. 2,057,785 issued to F. S. Milburn on Oct. 20, 1936 discloses an apparatus for fertilizing. Milburn teaches a method of adding fertilizer to water wherein water is passed through the fertilizer from the top of the main chamber. A screen is placed at the bottom of the chamber to prevent the removal of fertilizer from the main chamber. The Milburn apparatus differs substantially from the present invention in two respects. First, Milburn connects the inlet and outlet water supply and return to opposite ends of the main chamber. Though effective, there is a more effective mixing of the fertilizer with the water in the present invention, especially when one considers that the present invention creates essentially a fluidized bed of water and fertilizer within the main mixing chamber. Second, the Milburn fertilizer requires that the water supply be discontinued should new fertilizer be needed. The present invention avoids this difficulty.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,134,546 issued to M. P. Laughlin on May 26, 1964 discloses an automatic chemical distributor. Laughlin describes a method for adding fertilizer to the outlet discharge of a sprinkler system. The Laughlin distributor differs from the present invention in that it adds fertilizer to the fluid stream after it has already left the sprinkler spray nozzle. The present invention adds fertilizer in diluted form before the water mixture is sprayed onto the vegetation. In this manner, the present invention provides a homogeneous flow of fertilizer to areas requiring such nutrition, whereas the Laughlin apparatus may provide an uneven distribution of chemical nutrients.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,176 issued to J. L. Agius on June 26, 1984 discloses a fertilizing system. The Agius system incorporates a large number of components. The present invention avoids this cumbersome and expensive approach to the fertilizing problem. Moreover, the present invention can be adapted to a home water system by being attached to a house water spigot or the like. The Agius system offers no such compatibility.
Accordingly, the present invention offers a new and unique method of adding fertilizer to sprinkler water prior to the discharge of the water onto vegetation. The system is adaptable to any water supply, and it offers a simple and functional approach to the problem. However, it should be noted at this point, that the present invention, though focusing on the usefulness of fertilizer disbursement, may be used for any number of chemical disbursement applications.